[a_to_z]

a_to_z,

If I am correct, I believe you must be trying to run the chkdsk command from within Windows.

Yes, that's exactly what I was doing, but the first time I booted using the disk it took me to my welcome screen so I just logged in as usual.


In any case, your steps worked fine EXCEPT now I get a meesage that says:
Windows cannot run disk checking on this volume because it is write protected.

I wish this wasn't such a pain but this is completely new territory for me.

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Hey a_to_z,

I see what's happening here. Try this:

CHKDSK C: /R /X

~os

[othersteve]

Hey a_to_z,

I see what's happening here. Try this:

CHKDSK C: /R /X

~os

[a_to_z]

OK, it looks like we're in business. I'll keep you posted!

[othersteve]

Thank God happyrock knew where to get a recovery DVD.

Fingers and toes are crossed.

~os

[a_to_z]

os and/or happyrock,

Here's the latest:
happyrock said chkdsk would reboot the computer when it was finished, it didn't. The same DOS window stayed open.
The last line reads:
"Failed to transfer logged messages to the event log with status 50."
Don't know if that matters.

I followed os's steps, did purgecache, and after I initiated scannow I got this:
"Beginning system scan. This process will take some time.
Windows Resource Protection could not perform the requested operation."
X:\Sources>

Next?

[othersteve]

Hey a_to_z,

Sorry for the delay. I am running out of ideas personally...

The Error 50 from running chkdsk is normal when you perform it from the Recovery Command Prompt.

We might now try to run sfc again from within Windows--but rather than booting into full Windows, please enter Safe Mode instead this time. Be sure your Windows CD is in the drive when you run the sfc tool.

To enter Windows Safe Mode:

1. Reboot your computer.
2. Press F8 repeatedly until you reach the Advanced Boot Options menu.
3. Select Safe Mode from this menu.

Once arrived at the logon screen, if presented with the option, please choose the Administrator account to log on. Then open a command prompt by clicking Start > typing cmd in the Start Search field and typing sfc /scannow.

If it doesn't work after the first one, try once more with:

sfc /purgecache
sfc /scannow

I still have my fingers crossed. I never lose hope.

~os

[a_to_z]

os,

This is what I got:

Beginning system scan. This process will take some time.
Beginning verification phase of system scan.
Verification 100% complete.
Windows Resource Protection did not find any integrity violations.

The whole process took about 2 seconds so I'm thinking it didn't actually scan?

Note: I put the CD in after I logged in but before I went into cmd

[othersteve]

Hey a_to_z,

I'm currently poring through your malware forum log, as it reveals quite a few items that might be helpful. I'm not ready to give up on this just yet. It's highly advanced stuff, but there may in fact be a solution.

~os

[othersteve]

Hey a_to_z,

Hmm.

Well, I am still researching this sfc issue, as it's not one I am familiar with. So I'll see if I can dig something up to try on that one...

After having tried all of these other approaches to no avail, I think our next best option is to resort to a Vista "repair" install, or, more accurately, an in-place upgrade over existing Vista installation.

Problematically, however, you do not have a Vista install CD (the recovery CD does not count unfortunately). If you can get one that matches your original install, that would be ideal.

Otherwise, I am still looking. I will try and reply throughout the day with more ideas.

~os

[happyrock]

othersteve may be right on the upgrade...we have tried everything else to no avail...
you can contact the computer manufacture and order a restore disk for about $25.00...upside is if you ever need to work on your system again you will have the disk and it will have all the drivers for your particular computer..

[othersteve]

Hey a_to_z,

We're probably grasping at straws here, but if you want to keep trying for the time being...

Have we disabled User Account Control yet? If not, please perform the following:

1. Please download TweakUAC.
2. Open the program and agree to the terms and conditions.
3. Click Turn UAC off Now and reboot the computer.

Then:

1. Click Start > All Programs > Accessories > RIGHT-click Command Prompt and choose Run as Administrator.
2. At the command prompt, type findstr /C:"[SR] Cannot repair member file" %windir%\logs\cbs\cbs.log >sfcdetails.txt
3. Type sfcdetails.txt and the file should open in a notepad window.

If the contents are not too long, please post them here for analysis.

Also:

1. Click Start > Type eventvwr.msc and press ENTER.
2. Double-click the Windows Logs branch on the left and click to select System.
3. Click the Action menu and choose Save All Events As....
4. Under Save as type: choose Text (tab delimited) (*.txt), name the file, and save it.
5. Please upload the file to a free service such as FileFactory and provide us with a link.

I'm trying; I promise!

Thanks,

~os

Edited by othersteve, 21 November 2009 - 12:00 PM.

[a_to_z]

os,

I disabled UAC.
sfcdetails.txt came up as a blank document. Did I do something incorrectly?
Link at FileFactory:
Download Event Viewer.txt from FileFactory.com

[othersteve]

Nope, you did it right. Just means that the sfc didn't find anything worth repairing (probably because it's screwed up somehow).

Let me look over this event log and I'll get back to you as soon as I can

~os

[othersteve]

Okay, a_to_z,

Not much jumping out at me from that Event Log... ?:\

I'm sure you're as tired of trying these random things as I am, but I think the next thing I'd try short of the repair/in-place upgrade that seems to be becoming more and more enticing is an uninstall of Norton completely, followed by a run of this tool (BE SURE to write down your license key first!):

Norton Removal Tool

I realize that a lot of this stuff seems inconsequential, but when the OS seems to be working in most other ways, it leaves us to investigate other possible deep-seated causes... Norton is a remote possibility with its file system filter drivers and such. It could well be damaged in some way by a previous infection.

Hoping something reveals itself as a possible culprit soon.

~os

Edited by othersteve, 21 November 2009 - 04:22 PM.

[a_to_z]

os,

At this stage of the game, I think you're more invested in fixing this than I am, lol! But I'll keep plugging away at it for as long as you keep brainstorming.

Now, for this Norton thing--personally I detest Norton, but my husband loves it, it's been our AV program for years, and he will be irritated if I do something to hurt it. So I want to make sure I do this right.

So, I uninstall Norton, making sure I write down the license key, and run the utility. Will I be able to reinstall it somehow? I believe the original installation was from a download, not from a box. Come to think of it, we had some problems with functionality, I think during the summer, that required a call to their tech support and having them fix something via remote access. I wonder...I'm going to see if I can find the notes from that.

Edit: it was June 30th. I don't remember the exact nature of the problem, but I had to uninstall and reinstall Norton with remote access help from Norton tech support.

Edited by a_to_z, 21 November 2009 - 05:37 PM.